Our First Christmas

This year our two beautiful nieces experienced their first Christmas...... Campbell Elizabeth and Susanna Kristen. What fun it was to get to see both of them at Christmas! Just had to share a few pictures of them......what cuties!!! Merry Christmas, sweet girls:):)

Fun in December

Our Christmas card this year.....only took around 50 pics to get this one!
Gramie, Bunny Ballerina and Sarah at "The Nutcracker"
"Boy, he sure is a strange looking fella?!"
The kids with Saint Nick

Back in mid-December my mom, Sarah and I got to go to " The Nutcracker." It was performed by the Ballet Company where Sarah is currently a student, so it was fun to see her teacher and several older girls that she knew in the program. This was her first ballet recital, and she seemed to really enjoy it.....it got long towards the second act, but she hung in there (that is in a reclining position with her head in my mom's lap and her feet in mine!) It was a lot of fun and of course, we could not leave without a memento of our experience together.....a stuffed bunny ballerina thanks to Gramie:)

We did finally take the kids to see Santa (with only a few days to spare before Christmas Eve!) Andrew just stared at him for a while and the other two meekly told him what they wanted. Sarah........reindeer Webkin, Barbie Doll and Unicorn My Little Pony. Luke........a racecar and a racetrack. It was a long wait (about 2 hours), but thanks to our local mall's new system, we were able to grab a bit to eat, shop and even let the children play in the indoor playground while we waited! They called us on our mobile phone when it was our turn to chat with Santa! Definitely one way that technology really does make life easier......Thanks, Santa!!!!

O Christmas Tree

This year we decided to get a "real" tree. For the past two years we have used an artificial one, but we thought the kids would really enjoy the process of picking out a tree this year. One of these days we will venture out to an actual tree farm, but we didn't seem to have the stamina this year. So Lowe's it was. Of course we got the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving (so these pictures are a few weeks old), and already the needles are beginning to fall off.....by the time Christmas arrives, the branches will probably be snapping off! Oh well.... the kids had so much fun decorating the tree (and their little brother to his dismay!) We used mostly their ornaments this year.....they already have quite a collection of handmade ones:):) Hopefully the tree will still be standing Christmas morning!!

Mary and an Angel

Sarah and Luke both had little Christmas plays at school this week. Sarah played the part of Mary, and Luke was an angel. Very cute! Andrew played the part of little brother as he watched (and ate snacks) through both:)

Quote of the Day

I heard the funniest thing driving the kids to school this morning. We take a little boy in our neighborhood to school every day and I overheard them talking:

(After listening to the song, "O Little Town of Bethlehem" on the radio)
Sarah: Jake, guess what?
Jake: What?
Sarah: I have been to Bethlehem where Jesus was born before.
Jake: WOW!
Sarah: Yeah, my cousin Caroline used to live there.
(After a chuckle and huge smile, I had to correct her...."Honey, they lived in Birmingham, not Bethlehem"...... boy do I love these moments!)

Giving Thanks

Andrew and Ethan (the littlest Miller)
Memories never forgotten of a beloved Grandfather

Caden(Miller #1) , Luke and Sarah
Buddies and Cousins:)
Indian Sarah with Luke and Daddy
Celebrating with Aunt Joy

November has been another busy month in the Shaw household . We started the month with a weekend visit from some dear friends of ours, the Millers, from Alabama. We had such a wonderful time catching up and spending time with their two precious sons. My sister and her two little girls also spent the night with us a week later. We had so much fun seeing them and having a "sleep over" in Sarah's room. (We can't wait to see the other two cousins from St. Louis during Christmas! It has been way too long since our last visit with them.) My mom, mother-in-law and I also got a chance to celebrate Aunt Joy's special birthday with a dinner out at a yummy steak restaurant. David and I spent two days feasting at Sarah's kindergarten Thanksgiving Banquet and Luke's preschool feast.... Before Thanksgiving even got here, we had our share of Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets (kids version of "turkey") and all the fixins'!

Our family also sadly said goodbye (or as Pastor Mark Walker said, "see you later") to my grandfather and David's uncle as they passed from this life to life eternal. They will be dearly missed, but we know that we will see them again real soon in heaven. It has definitely been a time of reflection, prayer, love from friends and family, and memories shared and never forgotten. We have so much to be thankful for.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures FOREVER." I Chronicles 16:34

Fall Happenings

Luke's little "girlfriend" at preschool:)
Howdy, partner!
Our little fairy princess, cowboy and "rebel" racecar driver
Sarah and Luke after winning a cake at the "cake walk"

Boy, it sure has been a busy couple of weeks! Between pumpkin picking, tractor rides, picture taking, college homecoming, fall festivials at school, various church events, and camping we have been on the go! At times I wish life would slow down, but once it does (probably not until 2025...that's when Andrew graduates from high school!) I know that I will be missing all the noise, laughter and joy that makes our home so full of life these days. It is truly a blessing to be the mommy and wife to three precious children and the best hubby in the world! I have posted a few snipits from the last couple of weeks.